A barrage of Russian shells bombed residential buildings and other targets in Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia, killing at least 17 people And dozens were injured, officials said Sunday.
bangs in The cityWhich remains Under Ukrainian control but sitting in a region Moscow claimed it was its own, dawn out windows in Nearby buildings and left at least one high-rise apartment building partially collapsed.
The multiple strikes came after Saturday’s explosion caused partial collapse of Bridge connecting Crimea with Russia. Kerch bridge attack Damage to an important supply route for The Kremlin’s Stalling War Effort in Southern Ukraine, an artery also is a tall symbol of Russia power in The region.
The missiles that bombed Zaporizhia at night damaged at least 20 private homes and 50 apartment buildings, city Said Council Secretary Anatoly Kortev. at least 40 people Cortev said on cable.
Ukrainian military confirmed the attacksaying that there are dozens of injuries.
population gathering behind Police bar by building Several floors collapsed from the explosion, leaving a smoldering gap of at least 40 feet wide where the apartments once stood.
Tetiana Lazonko, 73, who is husbandOleksii, took Shelter in the hallway of their top floor Flat after hearing the siren, warning of a attack. We survived the worst of blast that left they in Fear and disbelief.
“There was an explosion,” said Lazonko. “Everything was shaking. Everything was flying and I was screaming.”
shrapnel of Full glass, window and door frames and other debris cover the outdoor floors of The apartment they have been living in since 1974. Lazonko wept inconsolably, wondering why home in a area with number military Infrastructure in Sight has been targeted.
“Why are they bombing? us. Why?” she said.
Oleksiy, who Sit quietly, leaning in on Lazonko said a wooden stick was hit by three blows. He broke his silence and slowly said: “This international terrorism. You can’t get rid of him.”
In recent weeks, Russia has repeatedly bombed Zaporizhia, the capital of a region of It is the same name given by Russian President Vladimir Putin in violation of international Law last week. at least 19 people Die in Russian missile strikes on Residential buildings in The city on Thursday.
“Again, Zaporizhia, once again, merciless attacks on civilians, targeting residential buildings, in the middle of Tonight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in cable post.
“Absolute meanness. Absolute evil… from one who I gave this order, to everyone who Pregnancy out This order: they will answer. they must. before the law and people,” he is added
While Russia targeted Zaporizhia before Saturday’s explosion on Crimean bridge attack It was a heavy blow to Russia, which annexed the Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. No one claimed responsibility for Damage the bridge.
Putin signed a decree on Saturday evening to tighten security measures for bridge and for The energy infrastructure between Crimea and Russia, the status of the Russian Federal Security Service, the FSB, in Cost of Effort.
Some Russian lawmakers called for Putin announces “anti-terror operation” instead of term “special military Operation ‘that downplayed scale of Fighting for ordinary Russians.
Hours after the explosion, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that air force The commander, General Sergei Sorovikin, will now command all Russian forces in Ukraine. Soroviken, who Posted this summer in Cost of forces in Southern Ukraine, commanded the Russian forces in Syria accused of Supervising the bombing of it destroyed Many of Aleppo.
Kerch Bridge which is 19 kilometers (12 miles) long, on A strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, is a symbol of Moscow Claims on Crimea and an essential link to the peninsula annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014.
3.6 billion dollar bridge, the longest in Europe, vital to the preservation of Russia military operations in Southern Ukraine. Putin himself presided over over bridge opening in May 2018.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in Video title, indirectly acknowledge the bridge attack But he did not touch her cause.
“Today was not bad Mostly sunny day on The territory of our state.” “Unfortunately, it was cloudy. in Crimea. Although it was also warm.”
Zelensky said Ukraine wants future “Without occupiers. Throughout our lands, in Special in Crimea. “
Zelensky also He said Ukrainian forces advanced or held the line in East and South, but they admitted “a very difficult and very difficult fight” around city of faintly in Eastern Donetsk region, where Russian forces have made recent gains.
training and automobile traffic movement over The bridge is temporarily suspended. Car traffic resumed on Saturday afternoon on one of The two links that remain the same, with alternating flow in All direction, said the leader of the Crimea, supported by Russia, Sergei Aksyonov.
The Russian Ministry of Transport said on On Sunday, Telegram reported that passenger train traffic between Crimea and the Russian mainland resumed overnight, “according to what he said.” schedule. “
In a separate telegram post The ministry said Sunday car ferries also They worked between the Crimea and the mainland, with The first crossing took place Just before 2 a.m. local time (11 p.m. GMT).
While Russia seized north of Crimea early in that it invasion of Ukraine and built A wild path to her on the sea of Azov, Ukraine presses counterattack to retake that territory as well as four regions that Putin illegally annexed this month.
Russia has fallen up her blows on The city of Zaporizhzhia since the ocean was officially absorbed region on September 29.
District Governor of Zaporizhzhia reported that the file death The death toll rose to 32 after the Russian missile strike on Civilian caravan make it way out of The city on September 30 in a telegram postOleksandr Staruch that one more someone died in the hospital on Friday.
Away, aloof, alone of Zaporizhia region currently under Russian control home Europe’s largest nuclear power power Station. The fighting has repeatedly endangered the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia and the Ukrainian authorities shut down that it last operating reactor last A month to prevent radiation disaster.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, said on Saturday that the Zaporizhzhya plant has since been lost. last External residual power source as a result of The bombing is renewed and it depends now on Emergency diesel generators.
Crimea is a popular destination for Russian tourists and home for a Russian naval base. A Russian tourist association estimated that 50,000 tourists were in Crimea on Saturday.
